Triple alliance to spearhead bone health awareness effort

A new partnership between three associations has been formed to improve bone health and fracture prevention among Malaysians.

The Bone Health Alliance Malaysia (BHAM) is a collaboration between the Osteoporosis Awareness Society of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor (OASKLS), Fragility Fracture Network Malaysia (FFNM), and Malaysian Osteoporosis Society (MOS).

According to representatives, BHAM aims to improve bone health education among local communities, correct misconceptions regarding the inevitability of osteoporosis, engage stakeholders meaningfully, and improve patient outcomes through enhanced treatment and diagnosis.

“As most patients only find out they have osteoporosis upon a fracture, BHAM emphasizes the importance of considering risk factors and planning prevention strategies, channelling the message ‘Don’t Wait ‘Till It Breaks, Check Your Bones’,” said BHAM representatives.

At a virtual launch event, the three associations signed a memorandum of understanding to officiate the alliance’s formation, with the addition of Amgen Malaysia as a supporting corporate partner.

As part of the collaboration, a BHAM Facebook page has been launched as a digital resource on osteoporosis, fragility fractures, and bone health management for patients, caregivers, and at-risk individuals. The page will also host a series of healthcare talks on topics related to bone health in the coming months.

Speaking at the recent virtual launch of the BHAM partnership, Dato’ Dr Lee Joon Kiong, president of FFNM, said that it was necessary to educate the public to consider osteoporosis-related fractures as a major health problem, particularly among older persons.

“When an older person has a fall and suffers a fracture, surgery can be fatal due to their age and other health complications that arise,” said Lee. “Bone fractures, particularly in the spine or hip, are the most serious complications of osteoporosis. This is [often] made worse by preexisting health conditions such as hypercholesterolaemia and diabetes, or side effects of post-surgical recovery due to prolonged bedrest.”

During a discussion panel titled ‘Osteoporosis: An Overview and its Health Risks,’ Professor Dr Chan Siew Pheng, consultant endocrinologist and MOS president, added that there was a particular critical need for osteoporosis patients and high-risk individuals to avoid fracture incidents during the current pandemic, given government advisories on potential COVID-19 infection risk in healthcare facilities.

“Continuity of bone care and treatment, especially among older persons, is important even though visits to hospitals and clinics are minimized,” Chan added. “Patients or their caregivers can consult their doctors on the prevention and treatment options available [in this period].”

Discussing the issue of bone health awareness among Malaysians, OASKLS president Choo Yem Kuen noted that bone health checks are not part of many standard health screening routines. She added that many Malaysians seemed unaware that consuming calcium-rich drinks and supplements were insufficient for maintaining good bone health, and cited the need for other lifestyle interventions such as resistance exercise, sunlight exposure for vitamin D development, smoking cessation, and reduced alcohol consumption.

Choo encouraged more active dialogue between at-risk individuals and physicians regarding the risk factors and symptoms of osteoporosis, noting that early lifestyle interventions could make a difference in maintaining an individual’s bone health.